Of Trick's, Love and Labyrinth's
by Run about Writer
Summary: The images that flicked over Jareth’s crystal were fast and boring, until one girl took his fancy and cured the Goblin king of his prolonged boredom. Follow the lives of Jareth and Sarah before the Labyrinth brought them together. A Labyrinth prequel.WIP
1. Chapter The Start

**Disclaimer**

Labyrinth and the characters of Jareth and Sarah© Jim Henson

All goblin information I use is drawn from Brian Froud and Terry Jones's book 'The Goblins of Labyrinth'

However Artistic Licence has also been employed in order to fit the story's needs.

And finally, All original ideas belong to me.

This fanfic is dedicated to Alannah. Who helped me greatly in editing and bringing this fanfiction to it's full potential. I only hope my writing will do you justice.

**Chapter the start**

The images that flicked over Jareth's crystal were fast and boring. The pictures blurred past quickly, allowing only a few words of the conversations which were taking place beyond his walls to spill into his ears. Nothing they had to say was ever interesting. Just drool. Goblins chased about him picking on chickens, drinking away what few brain cells they had left and laughing, always laughing. Perhaps cackling was a better word for it.

"Why did you marry her!"

"Sarah,"

"No! Don't do that. I hate her, hater her. All she does is take care of Toby, as if I wasn't good enough for her,"

"That's not how it is, Irene likes you. She just wishes you would talk to her,"

"Oh that's right, just take her side. It's not like I'm your daughter or anything!"

A young girl ran up the staircase of a medium sized home and disappeared to the left. Sarah as he had over heard, was running away from an older male. Presumably her father. Another teen disagreeing with an authority figure, nothing eye catching there.

Jareth slid the crystal into his opposite palm and leisurely bid it disappear, which it did seamlessly. His leather boots thudded as he rose from his window seat in the goblin crowded foyer, stepping on a pair of feet as he did so. He raised his voice above all the frivolity and commanded silence. Of course, these were stupid, repulsive goblins he was ordering about, and as always, one of them was idiotic enough not to listen.

"Loch!"

The goblin stopped and looked directly at Jareth for a moment, then hurriedly began looking side-to-side; frantically hopping it was someone else the king was demanding.

"That means you," Jareth said, His voice sounded exasperated and bothered. He was annoyed at how slow it was taking this goblin to realise Jareth was talking to him and not someone else. The fact that Loch was still fidgeting about only provoked him more.

"Y-yes, your majesty?" The goblin's voice was scratchy and high pitched, almost whiny. Loch seemed to realise he was not going to enjoy whatever it was that lord Jareth was about to say, and his stature instantly became apologetic. Cowardly in Jareth's eyes.

"Oh Loch, It seems that you've made me angry. You know how I hate being angry don't you,"

Loch opened his mouth to say something in reply, but beneath his feet a large door opened up from which a fowl stench rose, and Loch slid away to the bog of eternal stench.

"With that done, I think we should celebrate,"

Cheers erupted, and the goblins now surged forward and fought one another to reach the front of the keg. It did not surprise Jareth at all how little they cared for the banished goblin.

Celebrating was not much different to what they normally did, but having their king approve their behaviour was what made celebrations different. Of course, Jareth didn't really care. But if he let them believe he did, it made them feel as if he was a decent lord as opposed to the subject abusive ruler he was. Throwing a celebration meant none of them would object to fetching him a drink for the next two months, as they often did when their respect for him waned. But respect wasn't what Jareth cared for. Being able to call himself king was all that mattered, and he didn't care weather it was over a city of do-good faeries or an army of brain dead goblins. He had his title, regardless of others objection to it, not that he heeded them anyway, and he would hold this title forever. Everything was in the name.

Jareth woke at noon. The night had been filled with much dull fun for the goblins. He had been forced to judge almost every contest, debate in an argument about the liberation of horseshoes (it seemed not even a several hundred year lasting war could solve that), and watch badly acted plays while avoiding the Skoat. Goblins were already up fighting for Grit Cake and ale when he began heading towards the main room, not affected at all, by how early it was. Not that they would be, nothing in his Labyrinth required sleep, not even himself. Nevertheless, sleep was all there was to fill the time with. His goblins never grew bord as he did, and he sometimes found himself resenting them for it. Then he was reminded that was only caused because they were too stupid to remember most things. Meaning most goblins spent their day discovering things they already knew.

The crystal Jareth had sent away yesterday was now in the crook of his throne when he entered, he had wished it there so that he might look outside. For a change in scenery, he took it with him into the room of stairs, inspired by a painting he had seen through the crystal. The artist was either M.C Escher or M.C Hammer. He did not trifle himself with remembering. He had created the room on a whim to bend his labyrinth in ways he had not (for he had never created a room with more than one gravity before) and it was to that room that he now placed himself. Goblins didn't come here for they lacked the ability to change with each new pulling force, and just looking at the room gave even the smartest of them a permeant headache.

The crystal took its place on the tip of his index finger, and scenes began imparting their reflexion into the clear surface. He watched, a child being told fairies didn't exit, before jumping to a high school play still in its rehearsal stage. It was that cursed play about Tatiana and her ostentatious husband Oberon. From there he let it skim, just picking up words and sounds as he did most days, hopping he would find something at last. But like most days, the result was pointless leaving only option B. Recycle in his mind, the images that had seemed boring to him yesterday and see if something had come of them today. He went back to were he had seen some protesters hugging trees. The trees were gone, which meant another herd of fairies would be trying to make a home among his front gate. He pondered if the dwarf he had put in place for the very purpose of getting rid of them was well equipped.

Then he came back to Sarah. The brunette was standing in front of a mirror, holding a small volume of papers bound with staples. She was looking at her reflection and speaking to it in what she must have thought was a passionate manner. To Jareth, it was just poor acting slightly above what his goblins had accomplished last night.

"Please, stop! No, wait! … Please let me try the slipper on, I am after all and eligible lady of this estate as well step mother…, "Sarah's face fell from its 'acting face' it was still very weak as far as Jareth could see. She looked down at the booklet in her hand and read the last few lines in a normal tone.

"And so, Cinderella and the prince lived happily ever after and the wicked step mother lived alone with her two step daughters for the rest of their days-," she continued mumbling to herself, but Jareth was far to appalled to care for whatever else she had to say.

"What was she babbling about?" He said aloud. "Some girl marries a prince and all her dreams come true?" Jareth was caught between laughter and sheer dumb shock. His mocking was cut short when he heard a male voice call out to Sarah inside the crystal; he peered back at it, seeing if someone would come into the room.

"I'll be there in a minute," Sarah responded to her father's call. When he didn't immediately walk in_. _She put down the script and pulled open her door with more force than was needed, mumbling about being interrupted as she went to see why she had been called. The book manuscript was left open on her bed. Jareth peered more sternly into his crystal, attempting to read what was written down, but found himself unable to.

The crystal was only visible for a second as it rolled down Jareth's fingers, before it completely vanished, replaced by the manuscript Sarah had been reading. It lay where the crystal has been; open at the page Sarah had left it.

Jareth closed the cover, reading the front in its entirety. 'Cinderella. CAST: Cinderella, Ugly stepsister 1, Ugly stepsister 2, Step Mother, Fairy Godmother, Prince Charming. The King, Town Cryer, Prince's Adviser, Woman at Ball 1, Woman at Ball 2, Coachmen…'

The name 'Cinderella' in the cast box, had been circled in red pen, and all of her lines were highlighted in pink throughout the book. Obviously this was the part Sarah wanted. Jareth walked out the stair room, taking his time reading the script and crossing his leg over the arm of his chair to read, goblins still managed to interrupt him, but most of them learnt his Majesty was not to be disturbed after he sent three or seven goblins flying out the window. He couldn't remember quite how many.

The play was simple, and lacking in a Meta plot. This, Cinderella, was bullied by her superiors and wanted one night to have fun at a ball. A fairy decidedly came along and helped her, which was certainly something Jareth had never seen a faerie do, and she ended up going to the ball and falling for the prince. Fortunately, the fairies spell had a catch to it, and Cinderella had to be home before Midnight. On her way home however, she dropped a shoe. Prince charming decided to find this 'amazing' girl and took the dropped shoe to every girl in his country in the hopes that he can find his magnificent princess based on shoe size.

_And so, Cinderella and the prince lived happily ever after and the wicked stepmother lived alone with her two stepdaughters for the rest of their days._

Jareth closed the book, looking at it with a perplexed expression. It was, to say the least….the most basic and effortless plot he had ever read and really only left the reader with the impression Fairies would help you. Sarah could keep her delusions and…badly written scripts all to herself. Jareth picked up his crystal, which he had called for out of nowhere of course, and once again used it to look in on his 'budding actress' of sorts.

"TOBY! Toby has taken my script!" Sarah boomed at the top of her voice.

"Sarah, how can Toby take it he's just a baby," Irene said, trying to point out reason.

"Well I don't know. The same way he took my book that's how,"

"I took the book Sarah-" Irene started, only to see Sarah's face was flushed with red anger. Irene suddenly felt just as red with embarrassed. "You're a young adult now. You shouldn't be reading fairy tale stories anymore. I thought Toby might like them,"

Sarah felt she could burn up with the amount of anger that sped through her. How dare her stepmother come into her room, ever! She turned her back on Irene and stomped to her room, only to hear Irene telling her to check her room again in case she had put it somewhere. The nerve of that woman.

Jareth watched the scene from the safe comfort of his castle. If Sarah knew he had taken it, he could just see her throwing something at him. His laugh echoed through the room, making even some of the busiest goblins stop to watch. He hadn't felt so relieved of his boredom in such a very long time. So much fuse over just a few scraps of paper. It was unexpected how much exuberance seeing them fight brought about, not because they were fighting, but because it was he who had brought it about. Their ignorance to what was truly occurring about them was staggering.


	2. Chapter The Second

**Disclaimer**

Labyrinth and the characters of Jareth and Sarah© Jim Henson

All goblin information I use is drawn from Brian Froud and Terry Jones's book 'The Goblins of Labyrinth'

However Artistic Licence has also been employed in order to fit the story's needs.

And finally, All original ideas belong to me.

Wow! What can I say. My first chapter got two, count 'em TWO! reviews. ( Well three really, but one was from a friend so it don't count xD ) Now, that's not alot to you big name FF writers, but it's two more than I thought I would get.Thanks for the faves guy, and I hope this new chapter is as good as my first. My love stretches out to you 3

**Chapter the second**

Sarah flopped onto her bed, her stomach hitting something as she fell. She rolled off of whatever it was and stared down incredulously at what she had fallen on top of. Even as she lifted it up, she couldn't believe the script had been on her bed the whole time. It wasn't even covered up. But how could she have missed it? She stared at it in disbelief.. There was no way about it, even before the sudden guilt began to eat her up, she had already come to the conclusion. Irene had been right. Toby couldn't have taken it out of her room, Sarah had just been lazy. She screwed the book up in her hands and threw it at the nearest wall. It made a satisfying 'thwap' as it hit the wallpaper. That made her feel just a little bit better. But how could she face Irene at dinner now? Knowing she had accused Toby wrongfully and also blamed Irene. She moved around the bed, not wanting to look at where she had so obviously missed, and sat in front of her dressing table. The music box her mother had given her still sat in the corner, its dress still dust free even though it was so old. She did miss her mother, but it was long enough ago that her Dad had the right to move on, but the child which still lived on in Sarah continued to tell her stepmothers were evil, wicked women bent on only bringing their children happiness, and not the stepchild. Her hand reached down and opened a draw to pull out an old book of fairytales. A least Irene hadn't taken this one. It was filled with different fairytales, ones that not many other people her age knew. Like ones about talking foxes, A silly wife and daughter and the original little mermaid where the girl ended up dying. She flipped through them, reading over the last page of each one and reminding herself once again**:**The good guys win and people get what they deserve.

"Sarah, Dinner!" Called her Dad from downstairs. Now she really would have to go talk to Irene.

Jareth was still very keen on watching what was going on. Seeing Sarah's face when she discovered the manuscript was absolutely priceless, and you could just read her like an open book when it dawned on her she would have to accept what Irene had said was true. Seeing the turmoil he had caused was hysterical. Her actions were so over dramatic, it was comical. But her determination was so strong, he was surprised Irene hadn't folded and just said she would check the baby, Toby's room. Determination was one of this girl's strong points. Especially when she was angry. But the thought of her angry brought about the recollection of her face when she found out what he had done, and he was in smiling all over again. "Oh Sarah, you really are a treasure," he finally said, glad to have found something so amusing at long last. Dinner was of course, an event in itself.

Sarah sat dejectedly at the table, far too self conscious of the fact that Irene was sitting directly in front of her, feeding Toby who sat at the end of the table. She gave a soft cough to gain Irene's attention, and both her father and the red headed woman looked over to her.

"I found my manuscript in my room when I went back to check for it, I-:"

Irene had a sympathetic look on her face, a smile sitting lightly on her lips. "It's all right Sarah," she pardoned looking back to Toby who was wiggling his fingers as if to say he wanted some attention. " It just means we're even for when I took that book from you,"

Sarah's mouth dropped just a little. Irene thought they were even! No way. That book had come back to her with spittle all over the corners and a tear on a few pages. Sure Toby hadn't taken her script this time, but Irene had taken the book, and just because she was innocent this time didn't pardon her of everything. " I don't think we're even," Sarah thought she mumbled. Both Irene and her father looked back at her for the second time during the dinner.

Her father coughed, a sign that he wanted her to take back what she had said. She didn't.

"Well, it was just lying around, no wonder I mistook it for something unimportant " Irene replied, her voice a little tired of the argument which threatened to surface.

"All my things are important to me! And you shouldn't have been in my room anyway!" Sarah countered, her voice heightening its pitch as she struggled not to get angry.

"Then you should clean your room a little more often young lady,"

What was that tone Irene was using! She wasn't Sarah's mother, how dare she!

"My room is fine as it is!" she emphasized the 'fine' part. "And seeing as how it's not your room, it shouldn't be of interest to you how my room looks,"

"Well seeing as it is my hous-,"

"Your house! You didn't pay a cent when dad brought this place!"

"Sarah," Her father broke in, only to find himself being thrown a death stare. How could he expect her to stand down like this, not when she was defending his home!

"I'm not hungry anymore," Sarah said defiantly, pushing her plate away. The clattering silverware clashed and Toby began to cry.

"There's no need to break the plate Sarah, and look what you did to Toby!"

Sarah rubbed at her quickly reddening eyes, she looked at that screaming cry-baby with all the resentment she could muster, so tempted to just yell at him to shut up, and ran off to her room. Jareth's eyes following her of course.

The door handle banged as it shut, Sarah hardly hearing it over her own thoughts. Why were they so mean, all of them. Toby, Irene, they had turned her own father against her. Her hand grabbed for the nearest pillow and she screamed her lungs into it. Finally pulling back for fresh air, she rubbed her eyes again and went to go see how much of a mess she looked in her mirror. "It's not fair," She said to herself in the mirror, wishing it would come to life and tell her the truth about everything, just like the mirror in snow white.

Jareth relaxed in his throne, looking down at her as she rested her head in the crook of her arms. Well now this was of no interest. Jareth knew what boredom was, he didn't need to watch someone else being bored as well. "Do something," He practically ordered.

Sarah pulled the same odd fairytale book out from her draw, this time it held no comfort. All she could do was hope. Hope that the whole world was wrong, that fairies did in fact exist, and one day her fairy godmother would come to rescue her. Even as she grew older and older, she refused to let her belief in enchantment diminish. Her hand went over the front cover, were it depicted a glade of fairies waiting around for a particularly pretty fairy to begin reading from an old book. "I wish," she began, stopping short to check that their really wasn't anyone listening in. "I wish something magical would happen to me,"

Jareth sat up now! Had he heard her correctly?

'I wish something magical would happen to me' that was what she had said. This was…it was Jareth's dream. A perfectly normal teenager who thought her life was unjust, had just given him permission, to do with her life anything he wished, so long as it was magical! Goodbye boredom!

A sudden light blew in Sarah's room, making her stop looking so miserable for just a moment as she turned her sights to the glass on her bedroom floor. Stupid light, Sarah just knew Irene would blame her for that. Like it was her fault they had brought dodgy lights.

Jareth paced the room, trying to think up the initial and most spectacular way in which he could make his first mark into Sarah's world. Obviously just appearing to her would be a stretch too far, but he could use other methods to make himself known to her, not just as a supernatural being, but as who he truly was. He had to make sure she knew it was him, goblin king and Ruler of the Labyrinth, not just some apparition wanting something from her.

But what? Dreams, something from his Labyrinth suddenly appearing constantly around her, visions, what!? A scowl traced itself onto his face, disheartened by the sudden reality that he had nothing he could do with her, regardless of the incredibly rare opportunity he had.

Even as Sarah slept that night, absolutely unaware of the vast amount of frustration she was causing in the Labyrinth. Jareth continued trying to think of ways to work his magic into an anti-magical world. It had to be ostentatious, showy and generally flamboyant.

Jareth finally, getting angry enough snatched the floating bauble from the air, and hurled his arm back, to throw the sphere, then an idea hit him. It hit him so hard, he put his hand over his eyes, laughing at himself at how obvious it was. The answer had been floating in front of him the entire time. He collapsed into his chair, resting one foot up on the arm, laughing hard enough to shake his entire frame. He spun the crystal in his palm, letting it eventually multiply into four, forming into a small pyramid. What a strange day Sarah would have tomorrow when she opened her charming eyes, the first of many.

Where are my shoes? Sarah thought to herself as she wandered around the house, trying to find them. She bent down low, lying her head on it's side as she looked under the two poster bed, the curtain getting in her way of course. Merlin had probably taken them off the porch when she left them out there the other day. She hoped he hadn't chewed them. "Where are my shoes?" she said coming down the stairs, it wasn't directed at anyone in particular, but Irene took it as being meant for her.

"They should be on the porch,"

Sarah rolled her eyes, where did she think Sarah checked first? She didn't dignify that with an answer and went out to see if Merlin had stolen them.

The dog kennel was empty of foot wear, but Irene hadn't fed the shaggy sheepdog yet, so Sarah did that while she was out there. "So if you didn't take them, where are they?" Sarah asked him, rubbing his ears while he chomped down on the wet food. They sure weren't on the porch; she had looked there twice this morning.

"Find it," Jareth said out loud nicely, expecting one of his goblin subjects to jump.

"FIND IT!" He yelled, when no one reacted, now they all jumped.

"Find what?" Said the furthest away, he didn't really think distance would deter the goblin king did he?

"The shoes, the shoe that the girl owns that she has lost," He said, keeping his temper in check for once. "Then put it on the porch for her to find," He said with a smirk.

The goblin who had spoken looked to its neighbour, who returned their puzzled expression with a mirror reaction. "Where is it?"

"That's what you're finding!" He replied, not hiding the agitation now, right before the pair disappeared from the room in a fade. "And don't be seen," he added, turning back to the crystal.

"Sarah!" A look of displeasure was on Irene's face as she held out the pair of joggers to her stepdaughter. "They were right here, on the porch."

Sarah was a vision of atonement. She had been turning the house upside down looking for them, but they really hadn't been on the porch when she had gone past just seconds ago.

"They weren't there before," She said, snatching the shoes from Irene and sitting herself down on the grass to put them on, all in a huff of course.

"Maybe you should just open your eyes," replied Irene before turning about to check on her husband.

"Well maybe you should open your eyes for once," The brunette retorted, in a typical petulant way.

"Actually Sarah, I think Irene might be right this time," Jareth said, moving the clear orb about in his hands.


	3. Chapter The Third

**Disclaimer**

Labyrinth and the characters of Jareth and Sarah© Jim Henson

All goblin information I use is drawn from Brian Froud and Terry Jones's book 'The Goblins of Labyrinth'

However Artistic Licence has also been employed in order to fit the story's needs.

And finally, All original ideas belong to me.

Well my Darling Readers, this week I have made the amazing discovery of the 'stats' button on the side Menu. I CAN SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE CLICKED MY FICTION! XD I have had 219 people come visit How lovely. But now, I want to tackle something important. Reviews. I found myself reading a few fan fictions last weekend and I seemed to notice the same message everywhere. The basic gist of them was 'Post a review or I'll stop writing'. WHAT!? Personally, as a writer I found this appalling. Yes reviews are nice to see, but if you're just writing for the reviews, why did you even start? Write for yourself, and don't give a damn if people decide to review or not. So Darling Readers, I'm officially taking the time to let you all know I WILL be finishing this fanfic no matter how few reviews I get, and I hope that so long as I do, those who are following this story will continue to enjoy.

**Chapter the third**

With a final 'Oomph' Sarah pulled her laces tight, shifting her weight onto her hands to get off the grass, only to find herself fall back a moment later when she had to raise her hand to block the sudden beam of sunlight that shot into her eye from…from?

As Sarah held her hand to her eye, stopping herself from going blind, a sphere made of the sky itself seemed to appear. It was faint at first, like a soap bubble travelling lightly, and slowly gaining weight as it approached. It was perfectly transparent, she couldn't even tell if it was turning or not. It's sparkling never dimmed, even as it broke into a second…whatever it was. Then a third, and finally a fourth. The forth one floated on top though, creating a spherical pyramid. The light jumped through and around it's surfaces, creating a dazzling display of light work which not even technology had conquered yet.

Sarah pushed herself off the ground now, she felt as if she was somehow stuck in a gravitational field pulling her towards the spheres. Her steps moved themselves, bringing her and the object closer, and even as her hand raised to brush against the smooth surface, she felt it was not under her own power. It startled her to find that the top crystal really was spinning and not still as she had first presumed. It's Presence was not bound by gravity, yet it felt that should they stop spinning, they would drop to the ground dully. They were magnetic to her, fascinating her in everyway. Eye-catching, mysterious, spellbinding-

"Sarah!" Irene said, watching the girl as she stood on the front lawn unmoving, her hand raised out horizontally. Sarah shot her a disbelieving look, as if she was obviously interrupting something important.

"Can't you see I'm doing something," Sarah hissed over her shoulder, as her other hand began to move towards the other, lifting up to clasp the globe.

"Sarah! Your father is waiting," Irene said impatiently.

Sarah bit down on her lip, glaring ahead, forcing herself to look away from the orbs and at Irene instead. The comparison between the two was so vast, it made her scowl even more. "Alright I'm coming," She said with a strong bitterness to her voice.

'What!" Jareth shouted, appalled that Sarah had somehow managed to avoid his magic. The ungrateful girl had pulled away from the sight he had sent her, she had walked away from it, not that she was happy about leaving, but she did all the same. Sarah's brown eyes glared at that cursed woman who had brought her attention away from the mysterious display. And yet they didn't even come close to showing the anger that flared in Jareth as he had watched his spell collapse. The crystals now spun slower in front of Sarah's home, gently disappearing in a fade, the same way his goblins had before.

"How!" He fumed, using his riding crop to move any goblin now in his way, kicking some too. "How did she do it!" No goblins walked in his path now as Jareth moved through the walls of the city and beyond them into the Labyrinth. He needed someplace to think, someplace he could find inspiration, solace, anything to take away the thoughts which now erupted in his mind. Where could he cast these thoughts?

"Don't go on," "Turn back," "go back, while you still can," The lying calls of stone faces awoke Jareth from his walking, he was somewhere near the beginning of the Labyrinth now.

"This is not the waaaay," "Take heed, and go no further," Jareth was on the path to one of the many oubliettes in the maze. Oubliettes, a place you put people to forget about them. Wait! A new idea formed in his head, why walk around the labyrinth trying to find something to take away his thoughts, when he could just cast them into the black darkness of the oubliettes.

His feet knew the way like he was following a path, and soon he was at the small door, making it grow in size to fit his own body mass. The darkness took his eyes for only a moment, before Jareth lit one of the few candles which had melted into part of the floor.

Now he could think. Sarah. Annoying, petulant teenage, who had somehow managed not to yield under his abilities.

It couldn't have been him, his powers were as strong as they ever had been, and they would continue to do so as he aged. The crystals were positioned in exactly the right way and under normal circumstances they should have worked perfectly. But maybe Sarah had knocked one out of the way with her hand. But magic was the strongest of bindings, it couldn't have been that. Irene was no cause for concern, she hadn't even seen them. Whatever it was, it was in Sarah, and Jareth wanted whatever it was. Had the spell worked, Sarah would have merely fallen into a heap briefly when both hands made contact with the crystal, and they would have vanished after. But after this little misfortune, he would need to use something stronger.

As always, it took Jareth only a second to conjure the crystal, but he seemed to be doing it more frequently of late. Sarah appeared, looking bewildered as things went appearing and disappearing about her home. His goblins were doing their job well, keeping Sarah guessing.

"I will catch you yet Sarah," He sneered into the crystal.

This time, he would do something more drastic, and he had a very good idea of what might work in this instance. He would send her one of his creatures now. Not a goblin, but something not easily forgot. But, it would take a few days to find it.

Finding his way to the creature was as easy as he had thought it would be, but the waiting was absolute torture. It lived in the forest behind the door knockers where the Furies sang and spiders spun webs of glitter and trees grew in his image. There in the depth of the trees lived Groeg. The bizarre creature which inhabited the world of dreams and truths and had the ability to warp truths. Under normal circumstances, his talents were to make what you thought was tea turn into coffee, and turning the butter you had brought, into margarine. But with a little instruction, he could be taught to use them on a much larger scale.

Groeg sat on something that flicked between being a bolder and a tree root. Weak minds would be only be able to see one first and then think it was the other a moment later, but Jareth's mind was not weak. He could see both.

He stood in front of Groeg, leaning on something that didn't exist before expressing his thoughts to Groeg. Which was hard considering he didn't speak English.

"I have a plan Groeg, but I will need your assistance in this matter," He began. Groeg looked at him and offered him a drink of lemonade which Jareth knew would turn to water a second later.

"There is a girl, I want you to influence her," He stated. Resting his chin on his gloved hand.

While Groeg couldn't speak English like some of the other goblins could, he knew what a question sounded like and what an order sounded like. He also knew what Jareth's orders sounded like. And with Jareth, it was his way, or the bog. The creature nodded his large head, bringing a wicked grin to the face of the Labyrinth's master.

"Don't fail," He said, stalking back to his castle and out of the forest. Now, he would get Sarah, and she wouldn't come out of this with a faint like last time. If Groeg did his job, she should need a physiologist for…at least a week.

Sarah, was sitting at the dining table. Irene was making desert in the kitchen, letting Toby lick the spoon of whatever she was baking. Sarah sat, she could still picture the images of that day on the lawn so clearly. As clearly as the spheres had been. Today was not going well for her, as usual. Everywhere she went, things kept disappearing and then showing up a second later in the first place she looked. Even as she sat trying and failing to draw what she had seen happening outside, she held on to her spare pencil tightly in case it too decided to walk off on her like everything did these days. The drawings were nothing compared to what she had seen, and she scrunched yet another ball of paper. At least they didn't seem to move.

A disgusted noise came from the kitchen then, it sounded like Toby had eaten something which didn't taste too good.

"Sarah!" Irene called from the kitchen, walking out to see Sarah looking up at her.

"Try this," she offered Sarah a small glob of the chocolate cake mixture she had been putting together. Sarah took her finger and dipped it in the brown goo quickly before sticking it into her mouth, hoping it wasn't poisoned. Her face crinkled up, and she ran to the kitchen, guzzling down a glass of water. "It's so salty!" she said, fetching a second glass.

"And who's fault is that Sarah?" said Irene, holding out a bag.

Sarah took the bag from Irene's hand, looking at the label. "You put in salt?" Sarah asked quizzically.

"No Sarah! This is the sugar you supposedly got for me this morning after your little scene about missing your Jeans,"

Another disappearing, reappearing act. The jeans had been folded up on her bed this morning, but they appeared in the laundry as soon as Sarah had gone to get dressed.

"I'm positive I got you sugar," She said confidently. Which was very true, Sarah had got her the cheapest, worst sugar she could find.

"So why does the docket say 'salt'?" Irene pulled out the receipt, offering it to Sarah.

"But…I don't," Sarah's face said everything she couldn't form into words.

"I know I picked up sugar!" she argued, scrunching up the piece of paper.

"Everybody makes mistakes, but this really is a waste of money Sarah, you should-"

"I didn't make a mistake!" Her brown eyes flared. Irene looked at her, not sure what to do. She sighed. "Well, maybe the grocer confused your purchases with someone else's then," She walked back into the kitchen, starting the sink running, cleaning up the wasted batter.

Sarah fumed, someone, something was doing this to her! Making her look foolish. It wasn't her, she knew it couldn't be.

'Yes it is' A little voice in her mind told her. Sarah shook her head and pushed that thought back, only to hear it come back stronger. 'What if I am this incompetent' it told her. ' Maybe I'm just spoilt and haven't realised just how much until Irene came along' It continued. No! Sarah was right, weather her subconscious thought so or not. In her heart she knew. 'Really?' It continued to prod. Yes! She told herself, making sure the voice didn't win over. Her mother had taught her that, self doubt leads to mistakes. If you think you can't do it, then you won't. If Sarah started believing she really was as inept as she seemed, she would only get worse. 'Irene has everything figured out about me, I'm petulant and spoilt. It's no wonder she likes Toby more. I should run away so they can be happy' What!? Her thoughts had never been this drastic. But part of her felt like a small drop of what the words were saying leaked in. But they weren't true! 'Aren't they?' They're not! 'Really?' How could they be! 'Why can't they be?' Shut up! She yelled at her head, stomping off to her room, putting a tape into her cassette and letting the sappy lyrics sink in as the terrible thoughts continued running through her mind like a dripping pipe.


	4. Chapter The fourth

**Disclaimer**

Labyrinth and the characters of Jareth and Sarah© Jim Henson

All goblin information I use is drawn from Brian Froud and Terry Jones's book 'The Goblins of Labyrinth'

However Artistic Licence has also been employed in order to fit the story's needs.

And finally, All original ideas belong to me.

Special disclaimer this week; all characters of Harry Potter are ©J.K Rowling.

Okay, what can I say this week? Well, um, lets start off by announcing this is the beginning of the turning point to lead towards Jareth admitting his affections for Sarah. We see a little of it in this chapter, but not a lot. This is like the first domino in the line, so keep reading. In another matter, we were given the tedious task of watching the first Harry Potter movie in film and television class today. Pretty boring, in fact, I was almost falling asleep. Of course, just as I was about to put my head on the desk, Harry enters the bank of Gringrots. And without a lie, what's the first image my mind thinks up!?

Jareth Meets Harry Potter!

Jareth is sitting in his chair, holding a copy of the Harry Potter book, exclaiming. "Goblin's don't run banks!"

So that's my thoughts for this week, here's hopping you found it as amusing as I did. Enjoy the chapter!

**Chapter the fourth**

From his Labyrinth, seeing Sarah lose part of her self confidence was almost sad to his eyes. Almost. For once Sarah was broken, what would Jareth do then. Groeg had already started his work, the salt was a good idea. The more he got Irene involved, the faster things would move along. Sarah was trying to drown out Groeg with a music playing device. The waste which played in the room was nothing compared to what melodies Jareth could conjure up.

Groeg was letting Sarah's mind take a break. No doubt he would put more force into it while she slept, telling her words of misendearment, until she just gave up. As the music continued playing, Sarah's mind became less and less active until she was at last resting. Now Groeg would have his chance.'Why am I so disappointing to my father, It's my fault Irene hates me, Toby must hate me too, they don't care for me, I'm just a burden to them, a money wasting brat, I should forget my dreams, they'll never come true. Fairies don't really exis-"

"Groeg!" Jareth Said, letting his voice flow through the crystal and to the creature. It looked at curiously around itself. Jareth sighed, he should just let him do as he wish. But If Sarah stopped believing, he no longer had permission to use her for his entertainment. No, let her keep her innocent dreams. " Don't touch her dreams. Just her spirit. Her confidence," He realised then he was on the edge of his seat, and relaxed back into it, rearranging himself comfortably.

Sarah's face was pained to say the least, even in her dreams she seemed to be keeping these ideas away from her. "Not true, Can't be," she said drearily.

'If I'm such a nice person, why don't I have friends? Why do bad things happening to me? I'm being punished for being such a foolish girl, Not even my mother would want me-"

Sarah shot out of bed then, her cry of 'no' would have been much more audible had she not bitten down on her lip in time. Her head turned to the mirror, decorated with multiple pictures of a woman. Her mother obviously. Sarah crossed the room, picking up one of the photos. "I'm not a disappointment to you. You'd still want me," she said out loud, thinking no one was around to hear. Her face was struggling, trying to convince herself in her words, but Groeg's influence was dawning on her.

"Yes," Jareth said. Suddenly taking pity on Sarah.

"Groeg! Tell her yes!" He ordered, finding a strange sensation of humility when he saw Sarah's face at ease once Groeg, or what Sarah thought was her conscience, agreed with her.

She put the picture down, realising she was still dressed now, and went looking for Pyjamas. A wicked grin replaced Jareth's pity for her when he noticed his goblins hiding them under her pillow.

He closed the crystal, cupping his chin with his hand. The goblins which played at his feet brought no sense of pity to him. He didn't care that he made them miserable, or that his leadership over them was out of fear. From this brief moment, a hatred for Sarah grew in him. A hatred to see her free and away from his grip, he wanted Sarah to be afraid of him, just as his goblins were. Like all those who inhabited his Labyrinth. Why was it she who had the ability to suddenly make him feel so…weak? It was a new sensation to him, to feel, powerless. Even if it was just brief. Jareth took the now imageless crystal, looking at it as if it could tell him what the answer was, before reeling his arm back and throwing it from the tower of his main chamber, to the goblin city below. " What an abhorrent turn out this is," He said, heading towards his chambers. Now he had ordered Groeg to stop, it meant there was nothing to watch, with Sarah sleeping and all. He would have to turn in himself.

"What're we Gonna do! Gruempy the goblin Said, jumping about in hysteria, which was a lot like what he did most days. As usual, Fowler remained silent. He had been this way for some time now, in fact, since Jareth had sent the goblins ,Gruempy and Fowler, to follow the human girl 'Sirha.'

Gruempy had been having a hard time stopping Fowler from taking the items they were moving about, and storing them in...wherever he stored his things. Fowler was a goblin known for taking things and never returning them, and stopping him from doing this, was what Gruempy was having the most trouble with. So far, he had managed to save a vast amount of items from Fowler's clutches, but he was bound to slip up at some point. That point, happened to be today.

"We were just meant to move things, not take them!" He continued exclaiming, clearly distraught. How would Jareth punish them?

The lost article in question, was a silver plated pair of butterfly wing clips given to Sarah when she was in fourth grade. The gift had previously belonged to a girl in Sarah's class, but moved to England some time ago. Sarah had kept the clips as a reminder, and valued them highly. The girl who had given them to her, was the last person she had admitted her belief in faerie things to, and for that reason, they remained precious to her. She hardly wore them, if ever, but they were always there as a keep sake to her memories. Now, thanks to a thieving goblin, they would be gone forever. "Just bring them back here Fowler, and then we won't have to be…be…." Nope, Gruempy couldn't even imagine what Jareth would do to them for removing such a prized item of his new toy's possession.

Inside the house, Sarah ran about looking for the missing clips rather frantically once she awoke. She had only been up for a few hours when the strange disappearing act had began. Normally, she was angry. But today was different. They had taken something from her which meant so much more to her than a missing stuffed animal or key. This item, was something they shouldn't have messed with.

Like Sarah, Jareth was awake, watching from his crystal, curious as to how soon his goblins would be returning the missing item. They had never kept an item from her for this long, and he was anxious to see them return it to her.

"Where are the clips?" He asked, spinning his crystal in a manner, so that it's image changed to reflect the portrait of his two goblin accomplices. The more talkative of the two seemed out of sorts, he looked around the air as he heard Jareth's voice. For even though Jareth could see them through his crystal very clearly, they had no way off looking back, only hearing as he spoke.

"G-G-Gone," Gruempy started, still glancing about the sky as if Jareth was up there. He was cut off suddenly as a loud. 'WHAT!' echoed about him, causing the goblin to shudder in fright. Around him, the angered voice of his king bounced everywhere, making the very air about vibrate. Of course, only Fowler and himself could hear it, the rest of the world remain oblivious to the shout of his kingship. "Where!?" Hissed the voice. "How?" again, it was an agitated and commanding voice. Nothing would now save the two goblins from Jareth's wrath. Gruempy shuddered again in terror at the thought. "F-F-Fowler. He's hidden them from her. Permanently,"

"Well tell that idiot to bring them back! I told you NOT to thief her things, do you understand that? NOT to take her things," The voice continued to reverberate around the heavens with a temper so vicious it would have turned even the most fierce beast into a trembling mess.

"Bu-but Fowler! He has done this, not I. I am loyal, faithful, do as told, nothing have I don-"

"Quiet!" the voice silenced him. "Return them, and if you fail you shall never see the walls of the labyrinth again!"

Jareth folded his face into his hands, his entire form shaking with anger. Could they not comprehend instructions, did they have such a trouble with basic English? Yes, it was their second tongue, but they knew the difference between the word stealing and borrowing. In fact he knew they did, it was a line they often treaded with him almost everyday.

Jareth was a dictating and manipulative ruler, but he did not steal. Not really anyway. He had given Sarah's script back after all, and he had waited until she asked him to meddle before exerting any magic into her life. He was in actually fact, a generous man. Or at least he thought he was.

Gruempy looked over at Fowler, a maddening look in his eyes. "Where is it Fowler?" He said, his tone an octave higher than normal. "You heard how angry his is, do you want to be thrown into the bog!?" Fowler stood stock still, looking at Gruempy the same way he looked at everything. With shifty eyes and a mistrusting glance, he wasn't telling the goblin nothing about the clips, or anything else he had taken over the last century. They were his now, and even if he went back to them smelling like the scent of a thousand rubbish tips, they would still be his. Gruempy threw another dirty look at Fowler, before turning around and pacing.

"Can't beg, can't bargain, can't threaten, can't do nothing! But gotta do something, Gotta find it, gotta find something!" And just then, an event unheard of for many, many years occurred. Gruempy got an idea. That was it, he had to find, Something! Fowler had taken the item, it was lost, gone, vanished to someplace no one could find. But… what if he found a new Something? The clips were impossible to get back, but a new Something of equal value might be good enough! Sure, it would be hard to make up for the sentimental value, but what if you could match it with material value? Make the loss of the other item a little easier. Yes! It was the only possible solution, the only one. Of that Gruempy was…mostly sure. For what goblin can say they believe in something one hundred percent?

Now all Gruempy could do was wait. Wait for Jareth to blare his booming voice out to the goblin pair again, wait for Fowler to attempt to steal again so he could stop him, and wait for the eventual punishment Jareth would put on them.

From his crystal, Jareth could see the pair slacking off. He had given them an order over two minutes ago, and they were still laying about like…like goblins!

"Well!?" He said into the crystal, knowing that the goblins below would hear him as they had done previously. The talkative goblin jumped, the silent one did nothing. "You-you haven't given us anytime to look!" stuttered the non-silent goblin.

"Not that you were using that time productively where you?" He retorted. The goblin flinched. "W-Well, you see. I had an idea," The goblin seemed sheepish. Jareth scoffed. Goblins didn't have ideas. "Unless that idea has to do with you, and those missing clips, I don't think you have much to talk of with me,' As scowl was on his face as the goblin continue wasting his time.

Gruempy stood his ground, trying to get his constantly wild thoughts to line up. He shook his head trying to clear them. "The clips are lost-"

Jareth clenched his fist, trying to maintain his temper.

"-But, what if we replaced the item for the little lady…Lord," the goblin added cowardly. There was silence for a while.

He was surprised for some time. The last idea a goblin had come up with, had not been for a long time, and it certainly hadn't been of use. However, this goblin seemed to have come up with a solution. Jareth was not unwise to the ways of Fowler. He knew of the goblin's infamous reputation as a thief and his secret stash which was impossible to locate. Jareth admitted, it would be foolish to seek them if what the goblin said was true, and Fowler had taken them. "With what?" He asked at last, his voice less cross than before.


End file.
